5 Good Baseball Movies

Both because I decided to do a similar piece on football movies when Draft Day came out and because Million Dollar Arm releases this coming weekend, I thought I’d list five of my favorite baseball movies.

However, I need to self-handicap right away because I haven’t seen a lot of the “classics” when it comes to baseball. I am ashamed to say I haven’t seen The Bad News Bears, Bull Durham, or Field of Dreams (or at least don’t remember seeing them).

Perhaps I need to make a list of movies I’m ashamed I haven’t seen, though.

Here are the five best baseball movies I’ve personally seen:

5) 61*

So this one is technically an HBO film, but I think it is still worth mentioning. 61* is a great look into the single season home run race between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961. The drama does a great job of telling the true story (and the controversy) behind breaking Babe Ruth’s record if you are interested in that kind of thing. If not, this still could be an entertaining flick for you.

4) 42

Coming out just last year, Brian Helgeland’s 42 has already cemented itself as one of the upper-echelon baseball movies. Even taking away the obvious plus of the movie – the historical significance and the faithful adaptation to one of baseball’s most decorated players – the movie is written well and is a great coming-out party for star Chadwick Boseman. I should’ve suggested you check out this film a few weeks ago on Jackie Robinson Day, but you should still check it out if you haven’t.

3) Major League

Major League is one of those movies that may get lost in the shuffle when it comes to comedy films, but it definitely stands out when you think about both sports and, more specifically, baseball movies. Even though it was released way back in 1989, it has some awesome actors featured like Tom Berenger (Inception), Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, and Dennis Haysbert (FOX’s 24). The movie is just all-around fun and it is definitely one of those movies that non-sports fans can enjoy.

2) The Sandlot

As I usually do with these lists, I reserve at least one nostalgia pick. In this week’s post, that belongs to The Sandlot. Not only is this one of the most quotable movies (“fo-ev-er”), but it is one of the first baseball movies I remember seeing. However, this movie has a special place in my heart because it help create a Sandlot-like crew of our own growing up. It also had a huge part (aside from the 1995 ALDS series between the Mariners and Yankees) in getting me interested in America’s past time.

1) Moneyball

Another recent pick, I think 2011’s Moneyball is a good marriage between both “worlds.” – not only does the movie stay true to baseball (appealing to fans of the game), but it is a critical darling. With almost universal acclaim, the movie again falls into the category of including people that aren’t necessarily fans of the game. Plus, it tells another true story and goes deeper into why baseball is different than other sports. It also (as if it didn’t have enough going for it) explores the ultimate American dream.

Jordan, who currently resides in Seattle, WA, has slowly become a film fanatic over the past couple of years. He attributes his love for film to the smash hit THE DARK KNIGHT which has created an (un)healthy obsession with both Christopher Nolan and the Batman franchise. Although he appreciates all genres of film, his favorite movies are typically psychological thrillers, with an emphasis on non-traditional narratives.